Despite the fickle weather experienced earlier we have however had our best season probably ever in the history of Stonehenge. The consistent rain has ensured there is plenty of feed about and consequently the stock is all doing well.

As Jim exclaimed: 'I've never seen grass like it!' It has certainly been a bumper year and a welcome change from the previous three seasons of drought conditions.

Young shepherd Grant (Sandy) Sutherland leaves Stonehenge for an 18 month period with the Merriman's at the Merryville Stud in Australia. We look forward to his return "full of knowledge". Hamish (Bubba) Wilson and his partner, Jan McKnight, have moved in to the cottage.

A new role for Jim & Sue, that of grandparents.

They have managed to fit in a trip to Scotland during the winter to visit Charles & Belinda and to meet the new eagerly awaited grandchild, Charles Max. Now living in Edinburgh, Charles is playing for the Borders Rugby Club.

Andrew continues to juggle his farming duties with rugby and once again returns to play for the Hurricanes in the Super 12, and Taranaki in the following NPCompetition.

Andrew has recently become engaged to Diana Matchett. No doubt wedding plans will be fitted around rugby commitments!

Grandparents Keith & Donella still lead busy lives, Keith helping out with duties around the property when required, and Donella who recently turned 80 is still very active with her interests in bridge, bowls, golf and gardening

WOOL SALES

The move by NZM to sell its clip in Melbourne has so far been unable to show any appreciable tangible benefit to growers. One can only live in hope and that things can only go upward from here, but prices need to be sustainable! Contracts certainly go some way to keeping alleviating this. Unlike some disillusioned growers Stonehenge is committed to continuing with merinos, in fact increasing merino ewe numbers, and breeding plenty of merino & half bred rams to cater for a wide client base.

Ram Hoggets
A large selection of both 1/2 bred and merino ram hoggets met the keen demand from clients over recent months. Stonehenge continues to place emphasis on a large frame, with plenty of leg, growing an even cover of well nourished, long, white, superior styled soft handling wool. For the merinos between 16.0 - 20.5 microns for the merinos, and around an average of 23 microns for the halfbred hoggets.

"There's no substitute for size," says Jim, "it stands to reason. The bigger sheep grows more wool. It also lambs better and survives better in the winter." He also makes the point that with growing demand for merino meat in the export market, more size means more money from the processor.

USE IT OR LOOSE IT.

Help support our New Zealand merino wool industry. Its simple, Wear more wool!
There are a huge variety of NZ merino wool products on the market today that cater for literally anyone, whatever the need, regardless of sex or age.
No matter where you live, or what ever the conditions - there is a quality merino wool product to cater for your every whim. From under wear, to outer wear, including executive to outdoor leisure, and working wear, covering every imaginable part of the body-literally from head to toe, from sox to suits, in a wide variety of colours. Not only can you wear merino wool products but you can sleep on & /or under it.
Everything is lightweight, warm, soft, durable functional, fashionable, and consumer friendly - just throw them in the washing machine. You don't even have to iron them!

Best of all merino wool products are 100% natural. - sheep wouldn't wear anything else!
Merino wool's natural attributes ensure the products are comfortable to wear. It is extremely soft, doesn't itch when next to the skin, and being naturally antimicribial means that it doesn't get smelly from repeated wear. Because wool can absorb 1/3 of its weight in moisture - the product takes it away from your body, and it even breathes so you don't get hot and sticky. Wool is also a renewable resource.

So if you want to be warm, sexy, smart, comfortable and ecological look for the New Zealand merino content on the label next time you are out shopping.

The future, our future:
Sub dividing, selling out to DOC, or growing grapes are not options for Stonehenge, at least for the immediate future. Merinos have been around and growing this wonderful fibre for centuries. Stonehenge nears 100 years of involvement in the wool industry and we look forward to continue supplying this fibre for the next 100 years or more.

Use it or loose it. It is up to you.

COMING EVENTS

• World Shearing and Woolhandling Championships, Toowoomba, Australia, June 2005.
  Stonehenge wishes the New Zealand team all the best at the forthcoming world championships. The members of the team include woolhandlers: Joanne Kumeroa (Wanganui) and Tina Rimene (Gore), machine shearers: David Fagan (Te Kuiti), Grant Smith (Rakaia), and blade shearers: Shane Casserley (Twizel), Billy Michelle (Invercargill). The team will be managed by Mavis Mullins (Dannevirke) and will compete against Australia, South Africa, England, Ireland, Scotland, and Norway. This is a fine wool competition, and naturally merinos will be the breed of sheep used.
  David and Joanne are the current world champion shearer and woolhandler respectively and will be defending the titles won in Scotland in 2003.
  Joanne has had a long association with Stonehenge, having prepared the clip for many years. Stonehenge has recognised the benefit of her skills, expertise and talent by sponsoring her with merino clothing to wear while competing in the NZ shearing sports competition circuit held throughout the season.
  We wish her and the team all the best.

• Otago Goldfields Cavalcade - March 2006
  Trail bosses David McAtamney and Jim will once again (and perhaps for the final time) lead a trail on this annual event. Next year the destination is close to home and Patearoa will welcome upwards of 1000 participants plus support crews who will converge from all directions on horesback, in wagons and on foot from the nine different trails from throughout Otago.

• CENTENARY CELEBRATIONS - 2010
  Plans are now afoot for the forthcoming centenary of the establishment of the STONEHENGE property by Charles Hore in 1910 after the property "Linnburn" was divided up and balloted out. A publication of some sort is also planned in conjunction with this momentous occasion of continuous Hore family occupation. So if you have had any association at all with STONEHENGE please don't hesitate to contact Jim & Sue or Barbara with any memories, stories &/or photos so they can be included, no matter how small or insignificant they may seem. We'd love to hear from you, soon.
  Contact:
  Sue or Jim: sue.hore@xtra.co.nz Ph: 03 444 7703, Fax: 03 444 7055
  Barbara: barbara@stonehenge.co.nz
  The exact date for the celebrations has not been finalised so watch this space or contact us with your details so you can be kept informed.

• NEW VENTURE.
  Fancy a bit of off road horse or 4WD trekking around the Maniototo? Then check out this web site.: www.highcountrytours.co.nz